G/SPS/N/GBR/51  
26 January 2024  
(24-0592) Page: 1/2 
Committee on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures  Original: English  
 
  NOTIFICATION  
1. Notifying Member:  UNITED KINGDOM  
If applicable, name of local government involved:   
2. Agency responsible:  The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the 
Health and Safety Executive  
3. Products covered (provide tariff item number(s) as specified in national 
schedules deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, 
where applicable):  Products (and associated GB commodity codes*):  Celeries (0270030) 
and rhubarbs (0270070)  
* For reference, the full list of GB commodity codes is set out in Part 1 of the GB pesticides Maximum 
Residue Level Statutory Register – see link). 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable : 
[X] All trading partners   
[ ] Specific regions or countries:   
5. Title of the notified document:  New GB MRLs for azoxystrobin amending the GB MRL 
Statutory Register . Language(s):  English . Number of pages:  20 
https://members.wto.org/crnattachments/2024/SPS/GBR/24_00756_00_e.pdf  
6. Description of content:  Azoxystrobin is an approved active s ubstance in Great Britain. 
An application was received by the Health and Safety Executive to set new MRLs for 
celeries and rhubarbs. Following assessment, new MRLs have been introduced to 
accommodate the authorisations of plant protection products in Great  Britain.  
The Evaluation Report/Reasoned Opinion supporting the new MRLs is available at the 
following link. A complete list of the new MRLs is available within this document, see 
page 5: New MRLs (hse.gov.uk)  
The residue levels arising in food from the notified uses result in consumer exposures 
below the toxicological reference values and therefore harmful effects on human health are 
not expected. As the residue levels exceed the current MRLs in force, new MRLs  are being 
adopted.  
7. Objective and rationale: [X]  food safety, [  ] animal health, [  ] plant protection, 
[ ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease, [  ] protect territory from 
other damage from pests.   
8. Is there a relevant international standard? If so, identify the standard:  
[X] Codex Alimentarius Commission (e.g.  title or serial number of Codex 
standard or related text) : Codex No. 229  
[ ] World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) (e.g.  Terrestrial or Aquatic 
Animal Health  Code, chapter number) :  G/SPS/N/GBR/51  
 
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  [ ] International Plant Protection Convention (e.g.  ISPM number) :  
[ ] None  
Does this proposed regulation conform to the relevant international standard?  
[ ] Yes   [X] No  
If no, describe, whenever possible, how and why it deviates  from the 
international standard:  There is no CXL for azoxystrobin in/on rhubarbs.  
The GB MRL being adopted for azoxystrobin in/on celeries is higher than the CXL. This is to 
accommodate an authorisation that gives rise to higher residues in celeries than permitted 
by the CXL and which our assessment demonstrated to be safe for UK consumers.  
9. Other relevant documents and language(s) in which these are available:    
10. Proposed date of adoption (dd/mm/yy) : 19 December 2023  
Proposed date of publication (dd/mm/yy) : 19 December 2023  
11. Proposed date of entry into force: [  ] Six months from date of publication , and/or  
(dd/mm/yy) : Not applicable  
[X] Trade facilitating measure   
12. Final date for comments: [  ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the 
notification and/or (dd/mm/yy) : Not applicable  
Agency or authority designated to handle comments: [X]  National Notification 
Authority, [X]  National Enquiry Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if 
available) of other body:   
UK WTO SPS National Notification Authority and Enquiry Point  
WTO Policy Team  
EU and International Trade Directorate  
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs  
Seacole Building, 2 Marsham St.  
London SW1P 4DF  
E-mail: uksps@defra.gov.uk  
13. Text(s) available from: [X]  National Notification Authority, [X]  National Enquiry 
Point. Address, fax number and e -mail address (if available) of other body:   
UK WTO SPS National Notification Authority and Enquiry Point  
WTO Policy Team  
EU and International Trade Directorate  
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs  
Seacole Building, 2 Marsham St.  
London SW1P 4DF  
E-mail: uksps@defra.gov.uk